Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia’s Local Bills Head to Governor’s Desk

Sacramento, California - Four more bills from Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella) were voted out of the State Assembly today and will now head to the Governor’s desk for approval. Topping Assemblyman Garcia’s bill list are two local environmental measures.

The first, AB 434 would require the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt regulations allowing water filtration systems in the Eastern Coachella Valley communities to protect residents against unsafe levels of arsenic in their drinking water. The second, AB 1059 would require the California Office of Environmental Health and Hazard Assessment to update and expand its CalEnviroScreen 2.0 air monitoring program along the California-Mexico border region to address severe air quality concerns.

“We are making our case in Sacramento so everyone in the Coachella and Imperial Valley can have cleaner and improved air and water quality. By having these bills pass through the Assembly today, we are now a step closer to implementing environmental and economic improvements that our district and people so rightfully deserve,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia.

The bills that got out of the State Assembly and will now move onto the Governor’s Desk:

AB 434 (E. Garcia) –Point-of-Use, Point-of-Entry Water Filtration Systems legislation: The bill would require the State Water Resources Control Board to adopt regulations allowing water filtration systems in the Eastern Coachella Valley communities to protect residents against unsafe levels of arsenic in their drinking water.

AB 1059 (E. Garcia) –Cal Enviroscreen 2.0, Border Environmental Data: The bill will improve public health for the communities along the California-Mexico border region by expanding the CalEnviroScreen, to capture relevant environmental data and put monitors on the border to access and generate data on the current air quality.

AB 1095 (E. Garcia) –Salton Sea Infrastructure Improvement Act of 2015 would require the Natural Resources Agency to report to the legislature by March 31, 2016 on eligible shovel ready projects on the Salton Sea.

AB 355 (E. Garcia) –Unclaimed Property: Safe Deposit Boxes: This bill would require the business and financial institutions holding the contents of the safe deposit box to additionally include in its report to the Controller any name attached to a United States (U.S.) Savings Bond or military award inside the safe deposit box that is different from the name of the owner. This bill assures that rightful owners receive their military awards and savings bonds.